Thursday, February 11, 2010

Alex Jones clashes with a peaceful protest.

Trouble started at a recent rally to protest infringements to the 2cd amendment set up as a joint effort by a few political activist organizations TAG (Texans for accountable government), The Ladies Liberty Alliance, and the Liberty restoration project. The event was also co-sponsored by the Libertarian party of Texas. Current LP national Director Wes Benedict was an original founder of TAG; current Texas LP Director Robert Butler is a board member. The rally was underway by the time Alex Jones showed up with his own megaphone and started shouting over top of the speakers at the protest. There are several videos on Youtube taken from the scene that day. But some of the highlights include Alex Jones arguing with the organized protesters saying “You don’t know what your doing.” and to “Get out of my face!”. In addition to calling current Texas Executive Robert Butler who sits on the board of directors for TAG “A gay lawyer.”

This Youtube video includes excerpts from Alex’s radio show where he claims that it was his rally that was disrupted along with highlights of some of the various videos taken of this event.

As the video plainly shows, the protest was already underway when Mr. Jones arrived with his entourage and started speaking on his own megaphone making it difficult for the people assembled to hear the speakers.On his radio show he thanked all his listeners that in his words made the event such a success, but the video also clearly shows that he showed up with less then a dozen people and that the rest of those assembled were gathered by the organizations that put together the rally.

In response to the difficulties of this incident an apology was issued by treasurer and founder of TAG, Chuck Young.

“Dear Chiefs Acevedo and Carter,

I’m writing this to offer my most sincere apologies for the boorish behavior of Alex Jones during the recent 2nd amendment protest at APD HQ. Mr. Jones was not invited by us and is not associated with TAG in any way. I found his actions divisive, immature, rude, hateful, and provocative in the worst sense of the word. I was especially aggrieved at Jones’ hysterical antics because, as the video record shows, I started the rally with (roughly) the following statement:

“I’m here today armed with nothing but the Constitution. In addition to our right to bear arms, this great document preserves our right to peaceable assembly. The operative word there is PEACEABLE – lets keep it that way!”

While we at TAG may oppose APD on various points of policy, I want you to know that we, and I myself, respect and appreciate the consummate professionalism with which you and your officers have always conducted yourselves, in every single dealing I and other TAG principals have had with you.

Regards,Chuck Young”

In an email from Chuck Young I received after initially publishing this article Mr. Young said the following: “We almost never do street actions without accompanying lobbying. Jones KILLED the lobbying, because the mainstream types whom we were working with (GOP, NRA) got scared off. So he literally made sure that nothing happened in terms of any substantive policy change.”